rs.toomanywomen-第25部分

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o　know　if　you　are　taking　care　of　your　face。〃　He　wiggled　a　finger　at　me。　〃Archie。　That　woman　is　a　wanton　maniac。　It　would　be　foolhardy　to　accept　baseball　tickets…〃
　　The　doorbell　rang。
　　〃If　it's　her　again；〃　Wolfe　manded　me　in　quick　panic；　〃don't　let　her　in！〃
　　It　wasn't。　I　went　to　the　hall；　to　the　front　door；　and　opened　up；　and　was　confronted　by　one　of　the　faces　I　like　best；　Saul　Panzer's。
　　〃What　the　hell；〃　I　asked　as　he　entered　and　hung　his　cap　on　the　rack；　〃did　you　trip　up　on　Bas's　forgery　and　have　to　solicit？〃
　　Saul　is　always　businesslike；　never　frolicsome；　but　now　he　was　absolutely　glum。　He　didn't　even　return　my　grin。
　　〃Mr。　Wolfe？〃　he　asked。
　　〃In　the　office。　What　bit　you？〃
　　He　went　ahead　and　I　followed。　Saul　never　sits　in　the　red　leather　chair；　not　on　account　of　any　false　modesty　that　he　doesn't　rate　it；　but　because　he　doesn't　like　to　face　a　window。　Having　the　best　pair　of　eyes　I　know　of；　not　even　excepting　Wolfe；　he　likes　to　give　them　every　advantage。　He　picked　his　usual　perch；　a　straight…backed　yellow　chair　not　far　from　mine；　and　spoke　to　Wolfe　in　a　gloomy　tone。
　　〃I　believe　this　is　about　the　worst　I've　ever　done　for　you。　Or　for　anybody。〃
　　〃That　could　still　be　true；〃　Wolfe　said　handsomely；　〃even　if　you　had　done　well。　You　said　on　the　phone　that　you　lost　him。　Did　he　know　he　was　being　followed？　What　happened？〃
　　〃It　wasn't　that　bad；〃　Saul　asserted。　〃It　isn't　often　that　a　man　spots　me　on　his　tail；　and　I'm　sure　he　didn't。　Of　course　he　might　have；　but　we　can't　ask　him　now。　Anyhow；　he　was　walking　west　on　Fifty…third　Street；　uptown　side；　between　First　and　Second　Avenues…〃
　　〃Excuse　me；〃　I　put　in。　〃Shall　I　go　upstairs　and　take　a　nap　or　would　you　care　to　invite　me　to　join　you？〃
　　〃He　was　following　Mr。　Naylor；〃　Wolfe　informed　me。
　　It　was　nothing　new　for　Wolfe　to　take　steps；　either　on　his　own　or　with　one　or　more　of　the　operatives　we　used；　without　burdening　my　mind　with　it。　His　stated　reason　was　that　I　worked　better　if　I　thought　it　all　depended　on　me。　His　actual　reason　was　that　he　loved　to　have　a　curtain　go　up　revealing　him　balancing　a　live　seal　on　his　nose。　I　had　long　ago　abandoned　any　notion　of　plaining　about　it；　so　I　merely　asked：
　　〃When？〃
　　〃Yesterday。　Last　evening。　Go　ahead；　Saul。〃
　　Saul　resumed。　〃I　was　across　the　street　and　thirty　paces　behind。　He　had　been　walking；　off　and　on；　for　two　hours；　and　there　was　nothing　to　indicate　he　was　ready　to　quit。　There　was　no　warning；　such　as　keeping　an　eye　to　the　rear　for　a　taxi　ing。　He　did　it　as　if　he　got　the　idea　all　of　a　sudden。　A　taxi　rolled　past　me；　and　just　as　it　got　even　with　him　he　yelled　at　it；　and　the　driver　made　a　quick　stop；　and　he　ducked　across　to　it　and　hopped　in；　and　off　it　went。　I　was　caught　flat…footed。　I　ran　after　it　to　the　corner；　Second　Avenue；　but　the　light　was　green　and　it　went　on　through。　There　was　no　taxi　for　me　in　sight；　so　I　kept　on　running；　but　either　he　had　told　his　driver　to　step　on　it　or　the　driver　liked　to　get　places。〃
　　Saul　shook　his　head。　〃I　admit　it　looks　as　if　he　was　on　to　me；　but　I　don't　believe　it。　I　think　he　took　a　sudden　notion。　I　don't　especially　mind　losing　one；　we　all　lose　them　sometimes；　but　just　three　hours　before　he　murdered！　That's　what　gets　me。　Even　say　it　was　bad　luck；　if　my　luck's　gone　I　might　as　well　quit。　At　the　time；　of　course；　not　knowing　he　would　be　dead　before　midnight；　I　wasn't　much　upset。　I　tried　some　leads　I　had；　his　chess　club　and　a　couple　of　other　places；　but　didn't　get　a　smell。　I　went　home　and　went　to　bed；　thinking　to　try　him　again　this　morning。　As　soon　as　I　saw　the　morning　paper　I　phoned　you；　and　you　told　me…〃
　　〃Never　mind　what　I　told　you；〃　Wolfe　said　crisply。　So　he　was　getting　up　another　charade；　I　thought。　He　asked　Saul；　〃What　time　was　it？〃
　　〃It　was　eight…thirty…four　when　I　quit　running；　so　it　was　eight…thirty；　maybe　one　minute　one　way　or　the　other；　when　he　got　his　taxi。〃
　　〃Get　Mr。　Cramer；　Archie。〃
　　I　tried　to　fill　the　order　but　couldn't；　because　Cramer　was　not　to　be　had。　He　was　probably　home　asleep　after　a　hard　night　and　morning；　though　no　one　was　indelicate　enough　to　tell　me　so。　I　was　offered　a　captain　and　my　choice　of　lieutenants；　but　turned　them　down　and　got　Sergeant　Purley　Stebbins。　Wolfe　took　it。
　　〃Mr。　Stebbins？　How　are　you？　I　have　some　information　for　Mr。　Cramer。　At　half…past　eight　last　evening；　Friday；　Mr。　Kerr　Naylor　stopped　a　taxicab　on　Fifty…third　Street　between　First　and　Second　Avenues。　He　got　in　the　cab　and　it　proceeded　westward；　through　Second　Avenue　and　beyond。　He　was　alone。　　If　you　please；　let　me　finish。〃　He　consulted　a　slip　of　paper　that　Saul　had　handed　him。　〃It　was　a　Sealect　cab；　somewhat　dilapidated；　and　its　number　was　WX　one…nine…seven…four…four…naught。　That's　right。　How　the　devil　would　I　know　the　driver's　name？　Isn't　that　enough　for　you？…If　you　please。　This　information　can　be　depended　on；　I　guarantee　it；　but　I　have　not；　and　shall　not　have；　anything　to　add　to　it。　Nonsense。　If　the　driver　denies　it；　bring　him　to　me。〃
　　I　was　thinking　that　at　least　I　was　no　longer　the　last　one　to　see　Naylor　alive；　though　it　was　no　great　improvement　since　the　honor　had　been　transferred　to　Saul。　It　would　be　nice　when　they　hauled　in　the　taxi　driver　and　took　it　entirely　out　of　the　family。
　　〃What　happened；〃　Wolfe　asked　Saul；　〃before　you　lost　him？　You　got　him　at　William　Street？〃
　　Saul　nodded。　〃Yes；　sir。　He　left　the　building　at　five…thirty…eight；　walked　to　City　Hall　Park；　bought　an　evening　paper；　and　sat　on　a　bench　in　the　park　and　read　it　until　a　quarter　past　six。　Then　he　went　to　Brooklyn　Bridge；　took　the　Third　Avenue　El；　and　got　off　at　Fifty…third　Street。　He　seemed　now　to　be　in　a　hurry；　he　walked　faster。　At　First　Avenue　and　Fifty…second　Street　he　met　a　girl　who　was　apparently　expecting　him。　A　young　woman。　They　walked　together　west　on　Fifty…second　Street；　talking。　At　Second　Avenue　they　turned　right；　and　turned　right　again　on　Fifty…third　Street　and　walked　back　to　First　Avenue。　There　they　turned　left；　and　again　left　on　Fifty…fourth　Street；　and　back　to　Second　Avenue。　They　were　talking　all　the　time。　They　kept　that　up　for　a　solid　hour；　walking　back　and　forth　on　different　streets；　talking。　I　couldn't　tell　whether　they　were　arguing　or　what。　If　they　were；　they　never　raised　their　voices　enough　for　me　to　hear　any　words。〃
　　〃You　heard　no　words　at　all？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　If　I　had　got　close　enough　I　would　have　been　spotted。〃
　　〃Were　they　friends？　Lovers？　Enemies？　Did　they　embrace　or　shake　hands？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　I　don't　think　they　liked　each　other；　from　their　manner；　and　that's　all　I　can　say。　They　met　at　six…thirty…eight　and　parted　at　seven…forty…one；　at　the　corner　of　Fifty…seventh　Street　and　Second　Avenue。　The　woman　started　downtown　on　Second　Avenue。　Naylor　walked　east　on　Fifty…seventh　Street；　stopped　at　a　fruitstand　around　the　corner　on　First　Avenue　and　bought　a　bag　of　bananas；　walked　east　to　the　Drive　and　sat　on　a　bench；　and　ate　nine　bananas；　one　right　after　the　other。〃
　　Wolfe　shuddered。　〃Enough　to　kill　a　man。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　He　took　his　time　at　it；　and　then　started　walking　again。　He　didn't　hurry；　not　much　more　than　a　stroll；　and　at　Fifty…fifth　Street　he　started　the　crosstown　promenade　again；　over　to　Second　Avenue；　back　on　Fifty…fourth　to　First　Avenue；　and　west　again　on　Fifty…third。　By　that　time　I　was　expecting　him　to　keep　it　up　until　he　hit　the　Battery；　and　maybe　I　got　careless。　Anyhow；　it　was　on　Fifty…third　that　he　suddenly　flagged　a　taxi　and　I　lost　him。〃
　　Saul　shook　his　head。　〃And　he　was　on　his　way　to　get　killed。　Goddam　the　luck。〃
　　Saul　never　swore。
　　Wolfe　heaved　a　sigh。　〃Not　your　fault。　Satisfactory。　The　woman？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　She　was　twenty…three　or　four；　five…feet…five；　hundred　and　eighteen　pounds；　wearing　a　light　brown　woolen　coat　over　a　tan　woolen　skirt　or　maybe　dress；　a　dark　brown　hat　with　a　white　cloth　flower；　and　brown　pumps　without　open　toes。　Brown　hair　and　I　think　brown　eves；　but　I'm　not　sure。　Good　figure　and　good　posture　and　walks　with　a　swing　but　not　exaggerated。　Hair　soft　and　fine。　Face　more　long　than　round；　with　oval　chin。　Features　regular；　nothing　to　fasten　on；　light　plexion；　attractive。　Her　back　was　to　me　nearly　all　the　time；　so　that's　as　good　as　I　can　do　with　the　face。　What　I　could　see　of　her　legs　curved　down　well　to　narrow　ankles。〃
　　Wolfe　turned　to　me。　〃Well；　Archie？〃
　　Anywhere　else；　with　anyone　else；　I　would　have　stalled　to　get　a　little　time　for　consideration；　and　would　have　had　no　difficulty。　But　this　was　Nero　Wolfe　and　Saul　Panzer。
　　〃Yeah；〃　I　said。　〃Her　name　is　Hester　Livsey。〃
　　〃Good。　Week…ending　in　Connecticut？　Told　the　Westport　police　that　she　knows　nothing　of　Mr。　Naylor　and　her　association　with　him　was　remote？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃Get　Mr。　Cramer…or　Mr。　Stebbins。〃
　　
　　Chapter　Twenty…Three
　　It　is　a　simple　thing　to　make　a　swivel…chair　swivel　a　half…turn　and　to　pick　up　a　phone；　but　sometimes　the　simple　things　are　the　hardest。　I　did　not　perform　that　maneuver。　Instead；　I　wet　my　upper　lip　with　my　tongue；　then　my　lower　lip；　and　then　got　the　tip　of　the　tongue　between　my　teeth　and　experimented　to　see　how　hard　I　had　to　bite　to　produce　pain。
　　〃Well？〃　Wolfe　demanded。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　I　gave　the　tongue　its　freedom。　〃I　am　reminded；〃　I　said；　〃of　the　famous　remark　of　Ferdinand　Bowen　up　at　Sing